Tracheostomy device

ABSTRACT

A tracheostomy device comprising a receptacle that can be mounted adjacent to a tracheal opening for easy manipulation between a normal position to collect drainage from the tracheal opening and a tilted position to intercept any material forcibly expelled from the tracheal opening due to coughing, without at the same time providing any obstruction to breathing through the tracheal opening.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Sigmund H. Ancerewicz, Jr,

12242 Elmdale, Detroit, Mich. 48213 121] App]. No. 824,916 [22] Filed May 15, 1969 [45] Patented June 22, 1971 [54] TRACHEOSTOMY DEVlCE 12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

52 US. cl 128/275, 128/351 [51] IILCI A611 5/44 [50] Field of Search 128/275, 283, 351, 295

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,491,647 12/1949 Colavita 128/275 3,066,674 12/1962 Capra 128/351 3,100,488 8/1963 Orowan. 128/283 3,137,299 6/1964 Tabor 128/351 3,203,420 8/1965 Lockhart 128/295 3,286,713 11/1966 Kurtz et al. 128/351 X 3,422,817 H1969 Mishkin et al. 128/351 Primary Examiner-Charles F. Rosenbaum Attorney-Barnard, McGlynn and Reising ABSTRACT: A tracheostomy device comprising a receptacle that can be mounted adjacent to a tracheal opening for easy manipulation between a normal position to collect drainage from the tracheal opening and a tilted position to intercept any material forcibly expelled from the tracheal opening due to coughing, without at the same time providing any obstruction to breathing through the tracheal opening.

PATENTED JUN22 an 3,585,997

INVEN'IOR. Sigmund H. Ancerewicz, Jr

ATTORNFYS TRACI'IEOSTOMY DEVICE This invention relates generally to tracheostomy devices, and is particularly concerned with a receptacle that can be mounted adjacent to a tracheal opening following a tracheostomy for collecting drainage from the tracheal opening, and which can be quickly and easily moved by the patient to a position to intercept material forcibly expelled from the tracheal opening when the patient coughs without at the same time offering any obstruction to the patient's breathing through the tracheal opening.

When a person has undergone a tracheostomy, his trachea, or windpipe, is disconnected from the nose and mouth and is connected with a surgically formed opening in the throat through which the patient breathes. In. general, a large amount of mucous and similar material collects in the lungs of a patient following surgery, and such material is usually expelled from the lungs by coughing. Since after a tracheostomy has been performed, the only passage from the lungs is through the surgically formed tracheal opening in the throat of the patient, mucous and the like is expelled through the tracheal opening each time the patient coughs. Unless some means is provided to intercept the forcibly expelled material, it is simply sprayed into the surrounding area contaminating the immediate atmosphere with which it comes in contact. Furthermore, such material frequently collects on the dressing around the wound resulting from the tracheostomy and can possibly cause infection or inhibit healing of the wound.

Attempts have been made to provide devices for collecting all material discharged from a tracheal opening (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,647 to Colavita), but such devices have met with only a limited amount of acceptance due primarily to their complexity and expense, as well as the difficulty in installing, removing and cleaning such devices.

There thus exists a long standing need for a tracheostomy device suitable for collecting drainage from a tracheal opening, and for intercepting and collecting material forcibly expelled from a tracheal opening by coughing and which (1) is simple in construction so that the manufacturing steps can be performed at reasonable cost, (2) can be made of inexpensive materials so as to preferably be disposable, (3) can be quickly and easily installed adjacent a tracheal opening, and (4) which will not in any way obstruct the tracheal opening and thereby interfere with the patient's breathing.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a tracheostomy device of inexpensive construction capable of receiving and collecting drainage from a tracheal opening, and capable of intercepting and collecting material forcibly expelled through the tracheal opening.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tracheostomy device that can be mounted adjacent a tracheal opening" and can be manipulated easily by a tracheostomy patient between a normal position in which the device is disposed to receive and collect drainage from the tracheal opening and a tilted position in which the device is disposed to intercept and collect any material forcibly expelled from the tracheal opening, and which will not interfere with the patient's breathing through the tracheal opening.

Still another object is to provide a tracheostomy device including a receptacle that can be quickly and easily installed adjacent a tracheal opening and removed therefrom, and can be easily manipulated by a patient between a normal position in which the open end of the receptacle is disposed to receive drainage from the tracheal opening, and a tilted position in which the open end of the receptacle is disposed to receive material forcibly expelled from the tracheal opening when the patient coughs, and in which the open end of the receptacle is maintained in an extended position and restrained against collapsing so as to insurethat the receptacle will not obstruct the tracheal opening and interfere with the breathing of the patient.

The foregoing, and other objects, are achieved by the provision of a tracheostomy device including a receptacle having a rim surrounding the open end of the receptacle, the rim being maintained in an extended position and restrained against collapsing so that when the receptacle is mounted adjacent to a tracheal opening, it will not collapse and possibly obstruct the tracheal opening. Mounting means is provided for mounting the receptacle adjacent to the tracheal opening for movement between a normal position in which the open end of the receptacle is disposed to receive drainage from the tracheal opening, and a tilted position in which the open end of the receptacle is disposed to receive material expelled forcibly from the tracheal opening when the patient coughs.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a front view illustrating a patient wearing a tracheostomy device embodying the present invention with the device disposed in its normal position;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the patient illustrating the position of the tracheostomy device of FIG. I for intercepting material expelled from the tracheal opening when the patient coughs;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevational view of the tracheostomy device illustrated in FIGS, 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tracheostomy device shown in FIGS. 1 through 4; and,

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a tracheostomy device according to the invention illustrating an alternative construction.

With reference to FIGS. I through 4, reference numeral 10 collectively designates a conventional tracheostomy tube assembly which includes a curved tube I2 inserted into a surgically formed tracheal opening in the throat of a tracheostomy patient, and connects with the trachea of the patient so that the opening 14 of the tube provides an air passage from the patients lungs. Tube 12 in the assembly 10 illustrated in the drawings, includes a flange l6 resting against the outer surface of an apertured stop plate 18, the inner surface of which is usually curved to conform generally to the contour of the patients throat. Plate 18 has a latch member 20 engageable with flange 16 of the tracheostomy tube 12. Slots 22 are provided in each end of the stop plate 18 for receiving the ends of an elastic band or strap 24 which extends around the patient's neck to secure the tracheostomy tube assembly l0 against accidental removal from the tracheal opening. The specific construction of tracheostomy tube assembly 10 forms no part of the present invention, and the invention is not limited to a particular construction or arrangement of a tracheostomy tubeassembly. Various tracheostomy tube assemblies are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 507,8l3; 1,065,920; 2,923,299; and, 3,225,767.

Tube 12, thus, provides a tracheal opening 14 in the throat of the patient for breathing, and any material discharged from the patient s lungs must pass through the tracheal opening 14. Such material may collect around the outer end of tube 12 and drain onto the wound beneath the stop plate 18 resulting from the operation and possibly cause infection or inhibit the healing process, Moreover, each time the patient coughs, large amounts of material, particularly immediately following surgery, are forcibly expelled under high pressure through the opening 14, and if some means is not provided for intercepting this material, the surrounding area may be contaminated by the discharged material.

A tracheostomy device according to the present invention includes a receptacle designated collectively by reference nu meral 26 having a rim 28 surrounding the open end 30 of the receptacle, which rim is maintained in anextended position and is restrained against collapsing by a strip 32 of resilient material; and mounting means 36 for mounting the receptacle adjacent to the tracheal opening 14 for movement between a normal position as illustrated in FIG. 1 in which the open end of the receptacle 26 is disposed to receive drainage from the tracheal opening 14, and a tilted position as illustrated in FIG. 2 in which the open end of the receptacle is disposed to receive any material forcibly expelled from the tracheal opening 14. At least one connector 34 may be provided on the rim of the receptacle which is adapted to pivotally attach the rim 28 of the receptacle to the tracheostomy tube assembly 10. As shown in the drawings, two connectors 34 are provided and may take the form of slot engaging hooks 34 on the ends of the strip 32 engageable with slots 22 in the stop plate 18 of the tracheostomy tube assembly 10.

Thus, the rim 28 surrounding the open end of the receptacle is maintained in an extended position, and is restrained against collapsing so as not to obstruct the tracheal opening 114 and thereby interfere with the patients breathing, and the rim is easily manipulated by the patient between the normal position of FIG. I and the tilted position shown in FIG. 2.

The mounting means for the receptacle may include an integral flange 36 in the receptacle extending on the opposite side of the rim 28 from the receptacle and flexibly connected with the receptacle. The flange 36 is formed with a keyhole slot 38 so that the flange 36 can be inserted between the patients throat and the stop plate 18 with the keyhole slot 38 receiving the tracheostomy tube 12 as shown most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4. Flange 36, as pointed out previously, is of course flexibly connected with the bag 26 so that the bag 26 can be moved from the normal position as shown in FIG. I in which it depends beneath the tracheal opening 14 to collect drainage therefrom and the tilted position of FIG. 2 to intercept material expelled from the tracheal opening I4 when the patient coughs. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5, the receptacle 26 comprises a bag of flexible material, and the strip 32 defines a hoop of resilient material such as plastic, or wire, which is secured to rim 28 of the bag to maintain the rim in the extended or open position, and to restrain the rim against collapsing so that the material of the bag cannot obstruct the opening 14 accidentally and interfere with the patients breathing. The hoop defined by strip 32 has exposed ends on which the connectors 34 are formed for pivotally attaching the hoop to slots 22 of the tracheostomy tube assembly 10. The flexible bag may be constructed of polyethylene or some other plastic material, and as illustrated in the drawings, a portion of the material indicated at 40 and FIG. 4 is folded over the strip 32 to secure the strip to the bag. In the form of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. I through 5, the flexible bag includes a back portion 42 extending from the closed end 44 of the bag, and the ends of the hoop project toward the back portion 42. The mounting flange 36 projects from the back portion 42 and extends upwardly on the opposite side of rim 28 from the closed end 44 of the bag. Furthermore, the illustrated device includes backing of absorbent material 46, such as gauze or the like, secured to the outer or rear surface of the flange 36 to surround the operation wound through which the tube 12 is inserted.

The tracheostomy device of the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5 is installed by inserting the flange 36 between the rear surface of the stop plate I8 and the patients throat such that the key hole slot 38 engages the tracheostomy tube 12 as shown in FIG. 4. Hooks 34 are engaged with the slots 22, the resiliency of the strip 32 maintaining the hooks 34 in engagement with the slot. Hooks 34, thus, provide a pivotal connection for the rim 28, and the rim 28 can be quickly and easily grasped by the patient and tilted to the position shown in FIG. 2 so that the bag 26 intercepts any material expelled through the tracheal opening 14 when the patient coughs. The bag can be periodically removed and replaced merely by pressing inwardly on the ends of strip 32 to disengage hooks 34 from slots 22 and pulling the bag downwardly as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3 to disengage flange 36 from the tracheostomy tube I2. The strip 32 causes the open end of the bag 28 to remain in an extended position, and the rim 28 is thereby prevented from collapsing so that the material of the bag cannot obstruct the opening l4.

FIG. 6 illustrates a modified form of connector for the strip of resilient material for maintaining the rim 28 of the bag in its extended position. As shown in FIG. 6, the strip 32' of resilient material has a pair of prongs 50 and 52 formed on its exposed ends which are resiliently biased to a spread-apart position, and are each formed with a projection 54 on its outer ends for engagement with the edges of the slots 22. Thus, the prongs 50 and 52 can be resiliently squeezed together to be inserted into the slots 22 of the stop plate 18, the projections 54 preventing accidental disengagement of the prongs from the slots. Strip 32' is preferably of plastic material.

Thus, the tracheostomy device illustrated in the drawings includes a receptacle 26 adapted to be mounted on a tracheal apparatus 10 for selective movement between a normal position as shown in FIG. I for collecting drainage from a tracheal opening 14, and a tilted position as shown in FIG. 2 for intercepting any material forcibly expelled from the opening 14, the receptacle comprising a flexible bag having a closed end 44 and an open end 30 with a strip 32 or 32 of resilient material secured to at least a portion of the periphery of the open end of the bag. A connector is formed on each end of the strips 32 or 32' for securing the ends of the strip against outward movement relative to each other with the ends of the strips spaced apart from each other a distance less than the distance between the ends of the strip 32 in the unstressed condition of the strip such that the strip maintains the open end of the bag extended and restrained against collapsing to prevent obstruction of the tracheal opening 14 by the material of the bag. While in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5, the connectors are in the form of slot engaging hooks 34, and in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the connectors are in the form of prongs 52 and 50; in both forms of the invention, each of the strips 32 and 32 is operable when the ends of the strip are moved toward each other to force the rim portion 28 surrounding the open end of the bag to an extended position, and the strip prevents the open end of the bag from collapsing when the ends of the strip are thus prevented from spreading so as to maintain the strip in a bowed position, or in the form of a hoop. A sufficient portion of the rim of the open end of the bag must be attached to the strip so that it will be extended when the strip is caused to assume the bowed, or hoop configuration. With a flat resilient strip attached to a portion of the edge of the open end of the bag, and the provision of some means engageable by the ends of the strip to maintain the strip in the bowed or hoop configuration when the strip is bent or bowed to move the ends toward each other, the receptacles can be stored flat, it being necessary that the edge of the open end of the bag have sufficient connection with the strip to be moved into and held in an extended, opened position when the strip assumes the hoop position.

The tracheostomy bag as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification can be made from inexpensive materials by mass production techniques so that the bags can economically be replaced and disposed of periodically. Alternatively, the bags can be made of a material such they can be reused after cleaning, and in some cases it may be desirable to periodically remove the material collected in the bag by some form of suction device.

While specific forms of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction shown, but that alterations in the construction and arrangement of parts will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege I claim are defined as follows.

I. A tracheostomy device comprising: a receptacle having a rim surrounding the open end of the receptacle which is maintained in an extended position and restrained against collapsing; and mounting means for mounting the receptacle adjacent to a tracheal opening for movement between a normal position in which the open end of the receptacle is disposed to receive drainage from the tracheal opening and a tilted position in which the open end of the receptacle is disposed to receive any material forcibly expelled from the tracheal opening.

2. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 1 further including at least one connector on the rim of the receptacle adapted to pivotally attach said rim to a tracheostomy tube assembly.

3. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a flange on said receptacle extending on the opposite side of the rim from the receptacle and flexibly connected therewith, said flange being formed with a slot for engagement with a tracheostomy tube.

4. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said receptacle comprises a bag of flexible material, and further including a hoop of resilient material secured to said rim to maintain the rim in the extended position and restrained against collapsing.

5. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said hoop has a pair of exposed ends and further including a connector formed on each of said exposed ends for pivotally attaching the hoop to a tracheostomy tube assembly.

6. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said connectors each comprise a hook formed on the associated end of the hoop.

7. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said connectors each comprise a pair of prongs extending from the associated end of the hoop, said prongs being resiliently biased to a spread position, and means defining a projection on the outer surface of the outer end of each prong.

8. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said flexible bag includes a back portion extending from the closed end of the bag, and said ends of the hoop project toward said back portion and further including a mounting flange projecting from said back portion and extending on the opposite side of said rim from the closed end of the bag, and a slot formed in said flange for receiving a tracheal tube.

9. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 8 further including a backing of absorbent material on the outer surface of said flange.

10. A tracheostomy device including a receptacle adapted to be mounted on tracheal apparatus for selective movement between a normal position for collecting drainage from a tracheal opening and a tilted position for intercepting any material forcibly expelled from the tracheal opening, said receptacle comprising: a flexible bag having a closed end and an open end, a strip of resilient material secured to at least a portion of the periphery of the open end of the bag, and a connector on each end of said strip for securing the ends of said strip against outward movement relative to each other with the ends of said strip spaced apart from each other a distance less than the distance between the ends in the unstressed condition of said strip, said strip maintaining the open end of the bag extended and restrained against collapsing to prevent obstruction of the tracheal opening by the material of the bag.

11. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 10 wherein each of said connectors comprises a slot engaging hook.

12. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 10 wherein each of said connectors comprises a pair of slot engaging prongs extending from the end of said strip and biased to spread apart from their junction with the end of the strip, and a projection formed on each of said prongs. 

1. A tracheostomy device comprising: a receptacle having a rim surrounding the open end of the receptacle which is maintained in an extended position and restrained against collapsing; and mounting means for mounting the receptacle adjacent to a tracheal opening for movement between a normal position in which the open end of the receptacle is disposed to receive drainage from the tracheal opening and a tilted position in which the open end of the receptacle is disposed to receive any material forcibly expelled from the tracheal opening.
 2. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 1 further including at least one connector on the rim of the receptacle adapted to pivotally attach said rim to a tracheostomy tube assembly.
 3. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a flange on said receptacle extending on the opposite side of the rim from the receptacle and flexibly connected therewith, said flange being formed with a slot for engagement with a tracheostomy tube.
 4. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said receptacle comprises a bag of flexible material, and further including a hoop of resilient material secured to said rim to maintain the rim in the extended position and restrained against collapsing.
 5. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said hoop has a pair of exposed ends and further including a connector formed on each of said exposed ends for pivotally attaching the hoop to a tracheostomy tube assembly.
 6. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said connectors each comprise a hook formed on the associated end of the hoop.
 7. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said connectors each comprise a pair of prongs extending from the associated end of the hoop, said prongs being resiliently biased to a spread position, and means defining a projection on the outer surface of the outer end of each prong.
 8. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said flexible bag includes a back portion extending from the closed end of the bag, and said ends of the hoop project toward said back portion and further including a mounting flange projecting from said back portion and extending on the opposite side of said rim from the closed end of the bag, and a slot formed in said flange for receiving a tracheal tubE.
 9. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 8 further including a backing of absorbent material on the outer surface of said flange.
 10. A tracheostomy device including a receptacle adapted to be mounted on tracheal apparatus for selective movement between a normal position for collecting drainage from a tracheal opening and a tilted position for intercepting any material forcibly expelled from the tracheal opening, said receptacle comprising: a flexible bag having a closed end and an open end, a strip of resilient material secured to at least a portion of the periphery of the open end of the bag, and a connector on each end of said strip for securing the ends of said strip against outward movement relative to each other with the ends of said strip spaced apart from each other a distance less than the distance between the ends in the unstressed condition of said strip, said strip maintaining the open end of the bag extended and restrained against collapsing to prevent obstruction of the tracheal opening by the material of the bag.
 11. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 10 wherein each of said connectors comprises a slot engaging hook.
 12. A tracheostomy device as claimed in claim 10 wherein each of said connectors comprises a pair of slot engaging prongs extending from the end of said strip and biased to spread apart from their junction with the end of the strip, and a projection formed on each of said prongs. 